Public Access Test for Service Dogs

For many individuals, living with mental health conditions is made easier by the presence of a loyal service dog. However, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that these assistance animals be trained to perform essential tasks related to their owners’ disabilities. To ensure that your canine companion has the right skills, you’ll need to get it properly trained. A Public Access Test (PAT) can reveal any blind spots and verify the service dog is ready for the job. Let’s explore what you need to know about the Public Access Test for service dogs.

What is a Public Access Test for Service Dogs?

A Public Access Test (PAT) is an examination typically conducted by a professional dog training organization. The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) has developed a set of Minimum Training Standards for Public Access, which assembles the criteria many organizations use to guarantee service dogs are properly trained. Although it isn’t required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a PAT is strongly recommended to make sure your service dog can both perform essential tasks and behave properly in public.

Go Deeper

Training a Psychiatric Service Dog

When living with emotional or mental health disorders, it is important to incorporate healthy, natural mechanisms into daily life to help alleviate symptoms and increase quality of life. One of the most effective ways to do this is by welcoming and training a psychiatric service dog (PSD) to support your needs.

Public Access Test Criteria

To pass a PAT, your service dog must meet an extensive set of criteria, which make sure it is prepared to accompany you in all manners of public accommodations. The primary goal is to ensure that your canine companion is safe to bring around other people in various settings, from restaurants and shopping centers to medical facilities and government buildings. In addition to recommending roughly 120 hours of training over a six-month span (after the dog is six months or older), the following modules must be successfully completed. 

1. Controlled Exit from a Vehicle: Your service dog must wait to exit your vehicle until you command it. Once it exits the vehicle, your service dog must calmly await further instructions, obeying commands while ignoring distractions such as other dogs.
2. Approaching Buildings: The service dog needs to walk calmly by your side through a parking lot without pulling on its leash, matching your pace and stopping whenever you do, even abruptly.
3. Building Entry: Your assistance animal must calmly enter the building at your side, ignoring any distractions and waiting patiently at any stops, such as at a reception desk.
4. Navigating the Building: As you walk through the building, your service dog must confidently accompany you without pulling on its leash or otherwise leaving your side.
5. Building Exit: Just as you entered the building, your sidekick must calmly leave with you, staying by your side and behaving properly.
6. Vehicle Entry: Similarly to exiting your vehicle, your service dog must calmly await your instruction before getting back into it, retrieving any necessary items, and remaining well-behaved.
7. Restaurant Etiquette: This tests your service dog’s ability to behave properly while accompanying you in restaurants, both dining in and taking out. This includes staying by your side, lying down under the table as you dine, ignoring distractions, and refraining from begging for food.
8. Obeying Sit Commands: Your dog will be tested for this skill in three separate ways situations, such as: some text
   • Sitting next to a bowl of food and ignoring it
   • Sitting next to a shopping cart while its handler passes by, remaining in place until commanded otherwise
   • Sitting next to the handler while they engage in conversation. Once finished, the other person will pet the dog’s head, and the service animal must remain calm and not seek extra attention
9. Obeying Down Commands: Your service dog must comply with the “down” command, lying by your side until instructed to move. The handler should be able to act normally and avoid interacting with the dog as it lays by their side for extended periods.
10. Noise Response: The tester will drop an object as the service dog accompanies the handler. The dog may react to the sound calmly, but not with fear or aggression, but it should not bark unnecessarily.
11. Distance Recall: The assistance animal needs to demonstrate the ability to calmly return to the owner from a considerable distance while ignoring any distractions.
12. Leash Recovery: While walking with the handler, the service dog must recognize when its leash is dropped, stay with or return to the handler, and retrieve the leash. This might include directly returning the leash to the handler.
13. Leash Handover: The handler will give the leash to another individual and walk away a considerable distance. The service dog must remain calm under the control of the second person without displaying aggression or stress, whining, or pulling on its leash.
14. Service Dog Attitude: Additionally, the tester will usually evaluate your service dog’s overall attitude and demeanor.

What is a Passing Grade for a Public Access Test?

The PAT is typically graded by evaluating how the service dog performs with each module, using a rubric such as: 

• A — Always
• M — Most of the time (more than half the time)
• S — Some of the time (half or less of the time)
• N — Never

To pass the PAT typically, your service dog should score at least 80% “always” or “most of the time.” Any lower score or excessive failure to properly pass any modules will require you to train your service dog more before retaking the PAT.

Is a Public Access Test for Service Dogs Required?

Although it is highly recommended, the ADA does not require a service dog to take a PAT or any other test to be considered a service dog, they are only required to complete proper service dog training to perform specific tasks and behave in public. The ADA also makes no requirement for ID, certification, registration, or specialized vests or leashes. However, many training organizations will require that your dog perform a PAT before considering the training to be completed.

How Can I Train a Service Dog?

If you have experience training dogs, you could train your service dog personally, but it’s recommended that you follow a professional program to ensure that your canine companion is properly prepared. If you’re inexperienced, you could consider enrolling in an expensive in-person training course. 

However, one great option is enrolling in the Pettable online dog training program, which you can complete from the comfort of your home. Guided by our certified professionals, the program is self-paced to fit you and your dog’s needs. Contact us today to get started!